When his advocates ask, 'Where would the Bulls be without Rose?' the question is meant to be a rhetorical one. And implicitly, this is where most Rose supporters state their case. Oddly enough, what's not helping Rose's MVP case is his plus-minus numbers.

But Thibodeau’s unforgiving system is predicated on airtight defensive rotations underneath the game’s most utilized attack, the pick-and-roll. The 22-year-old has seen an uptick in his steals this season while exhibiting more discipline at a young age than many projected. But it’s equally unreasonable to assign much credit to a player who defends primarily 20 feet away from the basket. Of course, it’s unfair to suggest that Rose hasn’t played a role in the team’s defensive turnaround. For much of the season, Thibodeau has somehow managed to stifle opponents using the undersized Taj Gibson (who, granted, has developed into a skilled defender) and the overweight Kurt Thomas. Thibodeau doesn’t have Kevin Garnett to swarm the ball handler, nor does he have someone the size of Yao Ming (whom Thibodeau coached in Houston) to absorb the rotations underneath. In one offseason, the Bulls have improved from the 15th most effective pick-and-roll defense in 2009-10 to fifth place under Thibodeau - just a hair behind Boston - according to Synergy video data. After engineering Boston’s suffocating defense for three seasons, Thibodeau has instantly stamped his smothering pick-and-roll philosophies onto his new roster. What Thibodeau has done to revamp Chicago’s defense deserves the recognition of a Coach of the Year award but he has the Spurs’ historical run to blame if he doesn’t win it. This year? That defensive efficiency has plummeted - downward direction is a good thing, mind you - 5.1 points to 100.1 points this season, the stiffest rate in the NBA. The Bulls allowed 105.2 points per 100 possessions last season with Del Negro at the helm, according to. Once Tom Thibodeau, a defensive guru and longtime assistant coach, was hired to replace Vinny Del Negro as Chicago's head coach, the Bulls were expected to sharpen their defensive engagement and soar through the league ranks. Those who stand behind the “carry” argument are ignoring the single biggest reason the Bulls are where they are: their defense – the best one in the league. This isn’t a knock on Rose, but an endorsement for a deeper analysis. Those batting for Rose’s candidacy as the MVP contend that the Bulls’ 38-17 record speaks for itself - that the point guard has carried the Bulls with Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah out for extended periods this season.īut I don’t buy it. Everyone generally agrees that James is the better player of the two, but the balance of power shifts when we discuss the “V” part of the award. Right now, it appears the competition has boiled down to the Heat's reigning, two-time recipient and the Bulls point guard, with others like Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard lingering on the periphery.īut right now, it’s all about James and Rose. But James and Rose have been battling all season off the court in the MVP debate, which will continue to bubble for the rest of the season.

On Thursday night, the two players go head-to-head for the first time this season - James missed the first game between the Heat and Bulls due to injury. Derrick Rose has emerged as the favorite to snatch the MVP award away from LeBron James.

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